[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 4 (Wednesday, January 7, 2026)]
[House]
[Page H104]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     HONORING CLINTON COUNTY RECORD

  (Mr. Thompson of Pennsylvania was recognized to address the House for 
5 minutes.)
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to mark the 
end of an era. The oldest newspaper in Clinton County, Pennsylvania, 
ceased operations on December 31.
  After 154 years of delivering the news, the weekly Clinton County 
Record, formerly known as the Renovo Record, has stopped publishing due 
to escalating costs, a declining subscription base, and a lack of 
advertisers.
  Despite these challenges, it has a long and storied history that 
began in 1871 when Renovo businessman John Upton Shaffer founded the 
Renovo Daily Record and published its first edition.
  The first issue of The Record noted that the letters for the printing 
press had not been delivered in their entirety until the previous day. 
The first half of the alphabet, from A through M, had arrived in the 
previous week. The first issue nearly had to go to press without the 
second half of the alphabet. Fortunately, the rest of the letters were 
delivered in time for publication.
  Back then, it was a daily paper, except Sunday, bringing the news to 
those who lived in the railroad town.
  In 1887, Shaffer was elected to the Pennsylvania State legislature. 
His son, John Shaffer, Jr., took over the management of the newspaper. 
The elder Shaffer died in 1902, and his sons continued publishing.
  Since 1871, The Record has been 100 percent independently owned and 
operated with notable local names publishing the paper after the 
Shaffers, including Ron Dremel, John Lipez, and, most recently, Michael 
Frank.
  The newspaper covered local news, education, government, sports, and 
more. This is a devastating loss to the community that has relied on 
this paper since 1871.
  In 2021, on its 150th anniversary, The Record had a special print 
edition. This year, on its final publication, I was pleased and honored 
to have it reported that Bucktail Medical Center in Renovo would 
receive more than $260,000 in Federal funding to bring important 
upgrades to the facility. I was honored to secure that funding.
  Mr. Speaker, it is never easy when we see our local institutions 
close, especially those that have played such an important role in our 
communities like The Record has over the past 154 years.
  My heartfelt thanks go out to the staff who have worked diligently 
over the years to deliver the news to the people of Clinton County. For 
154 years, through generations of change, The Record has been there. We 
are all grateful for that.


                         Honoring Doug LaMalfa

  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, for those who are in the 
Chamber or perhaps viewing online, this morning they will see we are 
missing an individual who has always been here at morning session, at 
noon for 1 minutes, and maybe after votes for 1 minutes. I am speaking 
of Doug LaMalfa, a dear friend from California.
  Doug passed away yesterday. In honor of him, as is tradition, we have 
reserved a memorial seat in the first speaking position on the 
Republican side.
  Doug was a great friend and a great agricultural leader. He was a 
champion for forestry and rural communities. We traveled the country, 
preparing for the farm bill that we had been working on. Half of it has 
been accomplished with the other half still to go.
  Mr. Speaker, he was a rice farmer. I have been on his farm in 
northern California. I can tell you he was kind of a crazy muscle car 
driver. I hung on tight riding with Doug.
  Doug has left his mark. Our prayers go out to Jill and his family. 
Later this week, we will have other opportunities for Members on both 
sides of the aisle to offer their tributes and memories to Doug.
  Mr. Speaker, we want to let Doug know that he can rest easy in the 
arms of God. We have got this.

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